AY - 22) Stardrive – Rescue
by Cpt. Kallan Beyda
Summary: Set in the Academy Years Universe. Dylan's back aboard TB17. Now he has to face his greatest challenge – Kallan.


'Jesse, JJ, take TB2,' Grant ordered the moment they reached the pickup zone. Life rafts had limited oxygen and power. Almost seven hours since the initial call, they needed to hurry. 'Start picking up those escape craft.'

'On it Chief,' Jesse disappeared with JJ hot on his heels.

'Kallan take the com's unit. Catalogue everyone rescued and send updated list to TB6,' Hanson continued. They had another twenty hours, maybe a few more if the crew had been well trained to complete their mission before the casualties started mounting.

Nodding, she went to her position at the back of the bridge. Sitting before the screen, she watched the lists of names scrolling down her monitor each time Jesse and JJ pulled in another life raft. Sixteen hours after their arrival, they managed to locate eighteen of the twenty small craft. One from Starbase and the other from Centaur remained unrecovered. Their emergency signal not working or out of range, time was running out.

Hope fading fast, Kallan let Jesse and JJ's voices wash over her. She hadn't practiced her catholic up bring in years. Now she felt the need to pray. The feeling of hurt and anger towards Dylan the day he'd shipped out left her feeling guilty and remorseful.

_What,_ she considered, _if that's the last image I'll ever have of us?_

'There's still no sign of Dylan or Captain Elliot,' Jesse reported in as he transmitted the crew list from the nineteenth ship.

'Any idea what hit the Centaur?' JJ asked, informing Grant and Kallan they'd located the last life boat from the experimental star ship.

'It was hit by a mass driver,' Jesse replied. 'It's possible Dylan and Captain Elliot are still aboard the Centaur.'

_Only_, Kallan couldn't take the recriminations any longer and prepared to walk off the bridge, _we can't locate the ship. These magnetic storms won't allow the use of our instruments, telling us if the Centaurs still in orbit._

'Thunderbird 2 is going out for more pickups,' Jesse relayed, back at the helm of his vehicle.

'That's a Rodger,' Grant acknowledged, his eyes darting to Kallan's inert form. 'Keep your radar sweeping for any kind of emergency beacons.'

_It's a slim hope at best_, Kallan knew. _We're all exhausted and need a decent meal and good night's sleep. I won't be able to rest until I know one way or the other. _

'Hey,' hope filled JJ's voice, 'I just picked up something. It's a radio beacon.'

Not waiting for Grant's order, she started for the door with her heart beating a rapid tattoo. 'Kallan take TB 1,' the words never sounded sweeter. He'd manoeuvred TB 17 as close to the beacon as possible. By the time she gone through the pre-flight check on Dylan's vehicle, they were on top of the source.

'Since when,' initially she'd been elated to see Dylan. Finding him with someone in his arms created a maelstrom of emotions. Turing professional, she asked, 'do they need test pilots to fly rocks?' Seeing him with her own eyes, knowing he'd made it, she infused the relief into her voice. 'Welcome aboard Captain.'

Smiling Dylan couldn't be happier to see Kallan. Choked up, he opened his mouth to reply when a wave of dizziness swept over him. He'd been in and out of consciousness for hours. Their oxygen running low, he believed TB17 an illusion. It forced him to prepare for the end.

'Kallan,' he croaked as he once again lost consciousness.

'Grant,' Kallan grabbed both bodies before they floated away. 'I have them. Prepare medical. Dylan's out and Captain Elliot's not far behind. Their suits are at 16 precent O two and falling.'

'The Starbase's doctor and two nurses,' Jesse reported, 'were among the personnel we dropped off on our last run.'

'Received,' Grant acknowledged. 'I'll get a team mobilised. They'll meet you in TB1's docking bay.'

'Rodger, Grant. On my way back as soon as I have Dylan and Captain Elliot secured.' Kallan strapped the moaning Angel pilot into the second couch in the main cabin. The increased oxygen provided by TB1 curing her sleepiness. Webbing Dylan into an autodoc, she understood his injuries would soon be time critical. 'Don't give up on me now,' she allowed a hand to stroke his pale cheek.

'Kallan,' Grant asked as she appeared back on TB17's bridge.

'The Doctor's taken him to surgery,' she informed. 'He's got a flail chest. One of the broken ribs punched his right lung. Much longer and he may not have made it.'

'You don't need to be here,' Grant decided.

'He's going to be out for hours yet,' Kallan stated, returning to her coms station determinedly. 'Until he wakes up and the doctor will allow visitors, I'm more use up here, working.'

'Jesse's just located the final life raft,' Grant filled her in. 'As soon as they're aboard, JJ will compute a course back to TB6.'

'At,' Kallan relief showed in her return to normal teasing, 'less than 5G's I hope.'

The hours passed. TB 17, moving closer to Earth, would take two days to make the journey. Once the survivors settled into their temporary quarters and had a decent meal, Kallan visited sick bay.

'How is he, doctor?' she asked, tired and weary. The rest of the team forced her to eat and take a short nap. It hadn't come close to making up for the last thirty hours.

'Still out,' smiled the mid-forties woman. 'I think he's been asking for you, not that Captain Beyda knows where he is at the moment. He should come around within the next hour or two. You look like you could use some sleep.'

Smiling, Kallan sighed and prepared to sit by Dylan's bed until his woke. 'How often are you going to do this to me,' she spoke the words softly. A yawn escaped.

'Kallan,' he moaned, reaching for her hand.

'I'm here,' she soothed, stroking his black hair.

Opening his brown eyes, the intimate smile ignited something deep inside her. 'Though it might be a dream,' he rasped, eyes still glazed from the anaesthetic.

'Sleep,' she coaxed, 'we'll talk about it later.' Sure he'd survive Kallan fell into a deep, if awkward sleep until they could have a proper reunion.

'No,' Dylan attempted to defend his actions once he'd woken fully, 'the Centaur was in stable orbit but it was the same orbit as the mass driver. The rock collided, showering us with fragments.' Looking slightly guilty, he'd thanked the medical staff for removing his dog tags and replacing his Claddagh ring. Initially it mollified Kallan's temper just as he'd hoped. 'I tried to shield Kerstin and got hit.'

'Is that so Captain,' the anger in her tone and crossed arms demonstrated her disbelief. _Dylan should know better. He can't get anything past me_, Kallan eyed him, _and I've known him for almost twelve years. We've never lied to each other but sometimes he tries to circumnavigate the truth. Just like he's doing now. I wonder what it really signifies._ 'Five minutes ago you said you were hit when the mass driver fired.'

'It was a rough trip,' he defended once again. Dylan just wanted to take Kallan in his arms. _At every turn, I've thought about you_, he tried to communicate with his eyes. _Coming home to you and our life with the Thunderbirds. What don't you comprehend about that? Why are you so angry with me?_

'I'll bet,' she hissed through clenched teeth.

Unbeknown to Dylan, Kallan had spoken to Kerstin. Going to check on her recovery, she sung Captain Beyda's praises. Unaware of the relationship between them, it seemed no one had told the Blue Angel pilot, not even Dylan.

'We were left stranded, alone,' Dylan attempted to look into Kallan's green gaze. She wouldn't meet his eyes. 'We almost didn't make it out.'

'You made out fine.' Where the sudden and unacceptable jealousy came from, Kallan didn't understand. Secure in her relationship, she'd never been a demanding individual.

'We're professional pilots,' he almost pleaded, at a loss to understand her reactions, 'sent to do a job. If there wasn't an accident, we probably wouldn't have gotten so close.'

The moment the words issued from his mouth, Dylan knew he'd said the wrong thing. The hurt expression crossing Kallan's face meant she'd taken the comment at face value but assigned an entirely different meaning to it. 'You what?' she demanded.

'I'll probably never see her again.' Thinking it would settle the situation, the comment inflamed it. He'd never seen Kallan like this before. She'd always been the one ready to walk away. Suddenly furious at the turnaround when she had nothing to reproach him for, he let out a sigh. 'Come on give me a break.'

'I'll give you a break alright,' fury lanced through her eyes.

Reaching out a hand, Dylan touched her arm lightly. 'This isn't like you, Kallan. What's really going on in your mind?'

A frown covered her face. Moving his hand, she locked gazes with Dylan. 'I think…'

'Really,' Dylan's elated expression turned serious. 'Didn't you use the high G acceleration boxes on the way out?'

'Yes,' she sighed. _That,_ Kallan allowed the truth to infuse her mind, _is the real reason I've been so uptight. This trip may have cost us more than we know. If Dylan hadn't survived, I wouldn't even have the possibility of keeping a small part of him._

Understanding, he pulled her on to the bed beside him. 'I'm safe. We have all the time in the word to try again, if you're wrong.'

Unashamedly listening in, the other members of the team lined up in the sick bay corridor. Waiting until the heated voices stopped, JJ stated, 'Kallan, you tell him.'

'He should have just played dead,' Jesse added his opinion with his usual sardonic flare.

'Haven't you got anything better,' Grant chimed in, as interested in the dynamics as the rest of his team, 'to do than eavesdrop on their reunion.'

In his mind, he could justify the intrusion. As Senior Captain, he needed to know the state of their relationship. After all, it might affect the entire team if they weren't getting along.

'It's almost over,' JJ grinned. 'The only thing that would detonate an explosion would be for Kerstin to show up.'

'Hi, fella's,' the brunette floated down the corridor. Gasping, JJ hid behind his co-pilot. Turning her blue eyes on them, Kerstin demanded, 'how can you leave Dylan all alone in there?'

'I value my life,' JJ shuddered in his boots, not daring to tell the woman about Dylan current visitor.

'Well,' flicking her hair, she headed for the door, 'I'm going to make sure he makes an astounding recovery.'

'Wait,' JJ looked to Grant and Jesse for support. Finding none, he tried his usual joking, 'I don't have my crash helmet.'

'Back to your stations,' Grant ordered, 'even the Thunderbirds can't save him.'

'You can say that again,' Jesse shook his head.

Hearing the soft whoosh of the automatic door opening, Dylan expected to see the rest of the team. If he knew them, and after four years together he did, they'd be waiting outside until Kallan calmed down. That now achieved, the woman entering surprised him.

'Kerstin,' Dylan gasped, looking into Kallan's somewhat astounded eyes. He could see the mixture of hurt and anger brewing as she jumped off the bed beside him. He knew the only way to solve this issue. 'I'd like to introduce you to my wife, Kallan Beyda.'

'Wife,' the Blue Angel spluttered, taken back 'but you asked me about a boyfriend.'

'You'd better be thinking of Jesse,' Kallan hissed, walking out of the room. Her temper at boiling point, she spied Grant, Jesse and JJ listing. 'What are you three staring at,' she demanded.

'Come on Kallan,' Jesse tried to sooth, 'Dylan's back in one piece and he did call you his wife.'

'Not,' she added, stalking off to her station, 'for long.'

'Oh boy,' JJ watched her go, 'it's going to take the rest of the trip home for them to make up.'

'Just make sure you're nowhere near,' Grant supplied with a rare wicked grin, 'when it happens.'


End file.
